286 LIFE OF PROFESSOR HUXLEY chap. XII 



consented to deliver the first lecture in that year ; and 

 early in the summer Professor Eomanes sounded 

 Huxley to find out whether he would undertake the 

 second lecture for 1893. Hiixley suggested a possible 

 bar in his precarious health ; but subject to this 

 possibilitj^, if the Vice-Chancellor did not regard it as 

 a complete disability, was willing to accept a formal 

 invitation. 



Professor Romanes reassured him upon this point, 

 and further begged him, if possible, to be ready to 

 step into the breach if Mr. Gladstone should be 

 prevented from lecturing in the following autumn. 

 The situation became irresistible, and the second of 

 the following letters to Mr. Romanes displays no 

 more hesitation. 



To Professor Romanes 



HoDESLEA, Jutie 3, 1892. 



I should have written to you yesterday, but the book 

 did not arrive till this morning. Very many thanks for 

 it. It looks appetising, and I look forward to the next 

 course. 



As to the Oxford lecture, " Verily, thou almost 

 persuadest me," though I thought I had finished lecturing. 

 I really should like to do it ; but I have a scruple about 

 accepting an engagement of this important kind, which I 

 might not be able to fulfil. 



I am astonishingly restored, and have not had a trace 

 of heart trouble for months. But I am quite aware that 

 I am, physically speaking, on good behaviour — and 

 maintain my condition only by taking an amount of care 

 which is very distasteful to me. 



